Chapter 382: Destination holiday

The silence in the ceremonial chamber stretched until Lucas finally broke it, his voice carrying a cold edge that none of his friends had ever heard before.

“So let me get this straight,” he said, his words echoing off the crystalline statues. “You pulled me away from a war where people are dying every day, where I’m actually making a difference, to hide behind planetary defenses because of some family drama from thousands of years ago?”

Damien’s casual posture stiffened slightly, but his voice remained warm. “Lucas, you don’t understand the scope of what we’re dealing with—”

“I understand perfectly,” Lucas interrupted, his voice rising. “Our ancestors were murderers who betrayed their friend, and now we’re supposed to pay for it. But instead of facing the consequences, instead of trying to make things right, we’re just going to hide?”

“It’s not hiding,” Vivian said, her maternal instincts kicking in. “It’s strategic positioning. We need to gather our strength—”

“While the EDF fights the Harbinger war without me?” Lucas’s laugh was bitter. “While my team gets reassigned because their leader abandoned them? While people die because I chose family politics over duty?”

Kelvin shifted uncomfortably, his cybernetic arms whirring softly. “Uh, Your Royal Majesties, maybe we could help? I mean, the EDF has some pretty impressive resources, and we’re kind of good at dealing with impossible situations.”

Damien and Vivian exchanged a look before both of them started laughing. It wasn’t cruel laughter, but it carried the weight of centuries of political experience.

“Oh, honey,” Vivian said, wiping tears from her eyes. “The EDF has a Harbinger war on their hands. They’re fighting for humanity’s survival every single day. There’s no way they would abandon that war to fight a battle that isn’t theirs to begin with.”

“Besides,” Damien added, still chuckling, “even if they wanted to help, what could they possibly do against someone who’s had millennia to prepare?”

Lucas’s face flushed with anger. “You’re both missing the point entirely. This isn’t about military might or ancient grudges. This is about politics, and you’re both being incredibly naive.”

The laughter died immediately. Damien’s expression shifted, and for the first time, Lucas saw something harder beneath his father’s casual demeanor.

“Careful, son,” Damien said quietly.

“No, I won’t be careful,” Lucas shot back. “Every family is looking out for themselves right now. The Greys, the Canes, Ares—all of them. What that means is that there will be no help from outsiders. No alliance, no unity, no grand cooperation. When push comes to shove, each family will protect their own territory and let the others burn.”

Vivian’s face went pale. “That’s not… we wouldn’t—”

“Wouldn’t what? Abandon the other families if it meant saving Raiju Prime?” Lucas’s voice was cold with certainty. “You already called me back here, didn’t you? You prioritized one Grey over the thousands of others scattered across the galaxy. You’re already making those choices.”

The truth of his words settled over the chamber like a heavy blanket. Damien and Vivian looked at each other, and Lucas saw the moment they realized he was right.

“The seven families aren’t united,” Lucas continued relentlessly. “They’re terrified. And terrified people don’t make rational decisions. They make selfish ones. So when this eighth ancestor comes calling, he won’t be facing a coordinated defense. He’ll be picking off isolated families one by one, just like he probably planned.”

“Lucas—” Damien began, but his son was already turning away.

“I’m done with this conversation,” Lucas said, his voice carrying a finality that made everyone in the room flinch. “I came back because I thought my family needed me. Turns out they just needed someone to blame for their ancestors’ mistakes.”

He strode toward the chamber’s exit, his ceremonial robes billowing behind him. “When you’re ready to discuss real solutions instead of hiding behind walls and hoping for the best, let me know.”

The heavy doors closed behind him with a sound like thunder.

For a moment, nobody moved. Then Kelvin cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Well,” he said, his voice carrying forced cheerfulness, “that was intense. Kano, my good man, since it seems we’re now on an unexpected vacation here on Raiju Prime, where exactly would one find all the beautiful maidens?”

Kano blinked in surprise. “I’m sorry, sir?”

“You heard me,” Kelvin said, his grin widening. “If some evil ancestor wants us gone, then I’d better start making little Kelvins to preserve my brilliant genes. Can’t let this level of charm and intellectual prowess die with me, can we?”

Despite everything, Kano couldn’t help but smile. “I… could show you the recreational districts, sir?”

“Excellent! Lead the way, my friend. History waits for no man, and neither do potential future Mrs. Pithons.”

—

An hour later, the team had reconvened in one of the palace’s many gardens, far from the ceremonial chambers.

Lucas sat on a stone bench, his head in his hands, while the others arranged themselves around him.

“So,” Sophie said carefully, “escape isn’t really an option, is it?”

“Not a chance,” Noah confirmed. “The planetary security that nearly vaporized us on the way in? That’s not just for show. We’re stuck here until they decide to let us leave.”

“Which could be never,” Diana added grimly. “If this eighth ancestor is as dangerous as they claim, they might keep us here indefinitely.”

Lyra was pacing, her analytical mind working through the problem. “But what if we approached this differently? What if instead of trying to escape, we found a way to prevent the war entirely?”

Lucas looked up, his eyes red-rimmed but alert. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it,” Lyra continued, her excitement building. “How do you stop a war scare? You prove that the war won’t happen to begin with. If we could somehow resolve the underlying conflict, make peace with this eighth ancestor…”

“Or at least prove that the seven families’ fear is unfounded,” Diana added, catching on to the idea.

“It’s worth considering,” Noah said slowly. “But how do we even begin to approach someone who’s been nursing a grudge for millennia?”

“We figure out what he actually wants,” Sophie said. “Beyond revenge, I mean. There has to be something else, some way to reach him.”

Lucas was quiet for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “You’re right. Running away won’t solve anything. But understanding the real situation might.”

“So we’re really doing this?” Kelvin asked, having rejoined them with a slightly dazed expression and what looked like seventeen different communication devices. “We’re going to try to prevent an ancient family war?”

“Looks like it,” Lucas said, and for the first time since the confrontation with his parents, he almost smiled.

Sophie stretched and looked around the garden. “Well, since we’re stuck here anyway, and since this is supposed to be some kind of vacation…” She turned to Noah with a mischievous grin. “Want to explore the palace? Just the two of us?”

Noah’s face lit up. “I’d like that.”

Diana immediately perked up. “Actually, that sounds like a great idea. Kelvin, want to do some exploring of our own?” Her voice carried a nervous edge that made everyone look at her with interest.

Kelvin’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you… asking me on a date, Diana Frost?”

“I’m asking you to explore the palace,” Diana said quickly, her cheeks flushing. “Together. Alone. Without the others.”

“That’s definitely a date,” Kelvin said with a grin. “I accept!”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “Since everyone’s apparently in vacation mode, I guess that leaves Lucas and me to do the actual work. Someone needs to dig into this family history and figure out what we’re really dealing with.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Lucas said, standing up and brushing off his robes. “Let’s split up and reconvene tonight. Maybe we’ll all have learned something useful.”

As the group began to disperse, Sophie noticed that Noah was walking with unusual quiet, his shoulders tense despite his earlier enthusiasm. She fell into step beside him as their guards led them toward the palace’s main levels.

“Take us to the open areas,” Noah called to the guards. “Not the royal quarters. Somewhere we can see the sky.”

As they walked through corridors that gradually opened up toward the palace’s outer courts, Noah tried to start a conversation. “They seem really cool,” he said to the air, since Lucas had already left with Lyra. “I mean, Lucas’s parents. They’re so… normal. Despite being royalty.”

Sophie only responded with a sigh.

“Their concern for Lucas seems genuine too,” Noah continued. “It’s nice to see that he comes from what you could call a normal, loving home. Makes sense why he’s so good at taking care of everyone else.”

Another sigh.

Noah stopped walking and turned to face her. “Sophie, what’s wrong? I promise you, everything’s going to be alright. And if you really want to leave, if you want to go back to the station, I can domain travel us back.”

Sophie looked at him with surprise. “How? Everyone you’ve linked with is here on this planet with us. How would you teleport back to base?”

Noah smiled, and for the first time in the conversation, it was genuine. “Back during the fight with Kruel, the four-horn Harbinger, I created a link with Commander Cassandra. If we wanted to, I could teleport us straight back home right now.”

Sophie considered this for a moment, then frowned. “If you have a way we could all go home, why didn’t you tell the others?”

Noah went quiet, his smile fading.

“Noah?” Sophie pressed. “What’s wrong?”

He was quiet for so long that she thought he wasn’t going to answer. Then, finally, he spoke.

“The last mission we went on could have been our last. Kruel was a different kind of threat entirely. Teammates died, officers died, and when we got back, even though we’ve been on break from training, it still feels like I’m on a battlefield.”

Sophie’s expression softened. “Noah…”

“This life isn’t an easy one to live,” he continued. “And somehow, because I’m considered one of humanity’s greatest weapons, an SSS-ranked soldier, I’m supposed to not feel anything. Not be afraid, not be tired, not be… human.”

Sophie reached out and took his hand. “That’s not true. You’re allowed to feel just as much as anyone else. SSS-ranked soldier or not, Noah Eclipse is just a nineteen-year-old boy whose parents abandoned him for a cozy life, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best people I know.”

Noah smiled and drew her close. “Thank you.”

Sophie leaned into him. “Maybe we both need a break from the military. You know, back on Earth, before the whole vanguard recruitment to space and fighting alien conquering monsters, I was a third-year senior who would leave campus with you, a first-year junior, to go to my house off campus and do what adults did.”

Noah chuckled. “And now?”

“Now there’s little time to ourselves. If we’re not fighting an evil anti-military organization in the Purge, we’re trying to survive a Harbinger. And if it’s not that, it’s an ancestral curse from years before we were even conceived threatening to end us.”

She looked up at him. “This is a much-needed vacation.”

Noah’s smile widened. “It could be an even better one.” He turned to their guards. “Hey, hold up for a second.”

He called one of the guards over and whispered something in his ear. The guard’s face lit up with understanding, and he nodded enthusiastically before running off, leaving just one guard with them.

A few minutes later, the guard returned with a bag and handed it to Noah, who immediately passed one item to Sophie and kept one for himself.

Sophie looked at the swimwear in her hands and grinned. “What are these for?”

Noah’s grin matched hers. “Turns out, Raiju Prime is the perfect holiday destination. We’re going to the beach!”